Fishing-float



PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

C. HYMBRS. FISHING FLOAT.

nruouxon FILED um. 26, 1903.

.180 IODBL.

ijneg 645 Patented February 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER HYWERS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FISHING-FLOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,734, dated February 9, 1904.

Application filed September 26, 1903. Serial No. 174,785. (No model.)

To all whor/t it may concern:

Be it known that I, Onnrsrornnn Hvnnns,

a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fishing- Floats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in self-striking fishing-floats; and it consists in the novel construction of float more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my float. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the line-actuating spring compressed. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the spring expanded. Fig. 4. is a transverse section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

My present device is an improvement on the construction of float shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 711,318, issued to me under date of October 14:, 1902, and has for its object to simplify the construction therein shown and to qualify it in particulars which will serve to protect the lineactuating spring under abnormal tension or when the hook encounters a log or other obstructions.

In detail the invention may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the bob or cork, and 2 a tube passing centrally and longitudinally through the same. The upper end of the tube is closed by a cap-piece or hood 3, the top of the hood being perforated to allow for the free reciprocation of the guidestem 4, secured to the adjacent end of the pullrod 5, confined within and partially projecting from the opposite open end of the tube. Encircling the pull-rod and confined between the limiting-disk 6 at the base of the guidestem and an inner annular shoulder 7, formed in the bore of the tube, is an expansion-spring 8, said spring serving to normally hold the pull-rod within the tube 2 and to force the stem 4 into the perforation of the hood, Fig. 3.

Distributed along the pull-rod 5 are a series of locking knobs or collars 9, which are adapted to lock against the forked end of a spring arm or trigger 10, the latter being made of a single strip of metal folded against itself, the inner and shorter fold forming a resilient tongue 10, bearing with its end against the wall of the tube and serving to normally force the trigger outwardly, Fig. 3, the end of the long member or fold being secured directly to said wall. The line L is secured at a suitable point to the outer terminal loop 5 of the pullrod, the advance end of the line carrying the hook (not shown) and the rear end passing along the float and at a convenient point being passed through a safety device or arm composed of a single piece of wire 11, wrapped about the tube above the bob, the outer end of the safety device terminating in an eye 11 for the free and uninterrupted passage of the line and the intermediate members or sides of the wire being in sufliciently close proximity to frictionally grip and hold the line between them when subjected to ordinary tension.

The operation of the device is as follows: The parts are set by drawing out the pull-rod and compressing the spring 8 until any predetermined collar 9 has been withdrawn to a point to enable it to be engaged by the forked end of the trigger 10, the setting of the trigger being accomplished by forcing the latter into engagement with the said collar, the tension of the spring 8 (which tension exceeds the resilient tendency of the trigger to fly outward) drawing the collar or knob 9 against the trigger and keeping the latter set. The moment, however, afish becomes hooked on the line its tugging on the latter compresses for the moment the spring 8 sufiiciently to allow the trigger to be released, whereupon the sudden expansion of the spring 8 follows, thus suddenly jerking the line and impaling the fish on the hook, the parts under the circumstances resuming the position shown in Fig. 3.

The spring 8 is made sufficiently strong to resist any ordinary draft thereon; but in the event the hook should encounter a log or driftwood or any obstruction or a fish of great weight the tension on the line under those circumstances would force the rear portion of the line out of its frictional engagement between the side members of the safety device 11, pulling the line taut through the eye 11, (see dotted position in Fig. 2,) and thus shifting the entire load or resistance to the line and preserving the spring, the latter being then free to expand and resume its normal position.

I do not, of course, Wish to be limited to the precise details here shown and set forth, as it is obvious that they may be departed from in a measure without affecting the nature or spirit of my invention.

Of course the purpose of having a number of locking-knobs 9 on the pull-rod is to vary the tension of the spring under which the trigger shall be set, this tension depending on the size and character of the fish to be caught.

Having described my invention, What I claim is 1. In a fishing-float, a suitable bob, a tube carried thereby, an actuating-spring confined within the tube, a pull-rod cooperatively connected to said spring, atrigger located on the outside of the tube, and devices carried by the pull-rod for looking with said trigger, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fishing-float, a suitable bob, a tube carried thereby, an actuating expansion-spring confined within the tube, a pull-rod adapted to compress the spring by movement in one direction, a resilient trigger carried on the outside of the tube, and devices carried by the pull-rod for engaging the trigger, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fishing-float, a suitable bob, a tube carried thereby, an actuating-spring confined within the tube, a pull-rod cooperatively connected to said spring, a friction line-holding device carried by the float at a point removed from the end of the pull-rod to which the line is attached, the friction-holding device being adapted to release the line under great tension,

and thus preserve the spring, substantially as set forth.

e. In a fishing-float, a suitable bob, a tube carried thereby, an actuating expansion-spring confined Within the tube, a pull-rod adapted to compress the spring by a movement outwardly, a resilient tongue mounted on the outside of the tube and having a forked free end adapted to embrace the pull-rod, and a series of locking knobs or collars on the pull-rod for engaging the forked end of the trigger and holding it locked or set under the tension of the spring, substantially as set forth.

5. In a fishing-float, a suitable bob, a tube carried thereby, a spring-actuated pull-rod in said tube, a friction line-holding safety device carried by the float, asection of the line being held respectively between said safety device and the outer end of the pull-rod, substantially as set forth.

6. In a fishing-float, a suitable bob, a tube carried thereby, a spring-actuated pull-rod in said tube, a friction line-holding safety device carried by the float, a section of the line being held respectively between said safety device and the pull-rod, said safety device having a terminal eye for the free passage of the line, substantially as set forth.

7 In a fishing-float, a suitable bob, a tube carried thereby, an actuating-spring confined within the tube, a pull-rod cooperating with the spring, a trigger mounted on the tube, and devices carried by the pull-rod for setting the trigger at any one of a number of predetermined tensions of the spring, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER HYMERS.

\Vitnesses:

EMIL STAREK, ROSA Ross. 

